I read today that CATM finished number 3 in the ratings after the 74-75 season but fell all the way to number 25 after the 75-76 season. Were there any changes at the start of the 75-76 season that led to the drop in the ratings?

+++++++++++++
1974-1975
+++++++++++++

Friday, NBC:
8:00 - Sanford and Son
8:30 - Chico and the Man

Friday, CBS:
8:00 - Planet of the Apes (1 Hour)

Friday, ABC:
8:00 - Kodiak
8:30 - Six Million Dollar Man

+++++++++++++
1975-1976
+++++++++++++

Friday, NBC:
8:00 - Sanford and Son
8:30 - Chico and the Man

Friday, CBS:
8:00 - Big Eddie
8:30 - M*A*S*H

Friday, ABC:
8:00 - Mobile One (1 Hour)

++++++++++++++

Maybe the fact that it was up against M*A*S*H was the main reason the ratings dropped. Becuase in my opinion the second season was better than the first.

Originally posted by TVAdam
+++++++++++++
1974-1975
+++++++++++++

Friday, NBC:
8:00 - Sanford and Son
8:30 - Chico and the Man

Friday, CBS:
8:00 - Planet of the Apes (1 Hour)

Friday, ABC:
8:00 - Kodiak
8:30 - Six Million Dollar Man

+++++++++++++
1975-1976
+++++++++++++

Friday, NBC:
8:00 - Sanford and Son
8:30 - Chico and the Man

Friday, CBS:
8:00 - Big Eddie
8:30 - M*A*S*H

Friday, ABC:
8:00 - Mobile One (1 Hour)

++++++++++++++

Maybe the fact that it was up against M*A*S*H was the main reason the ratings dropped. Becuase in my opinion the second season was better than the first.



Thank You. That looks like the reason to me.

... that the show was a strong one. Even up against M*A*S*H, it was a top ten show!

Originally posted by Luckymama58

... that the show was a strong one. Even up against M*A*S*H, it was a top ten show!


The show was not in the top ten whe it went up against Mash, it was number 25.

It was my understanding from all that I have read, that CATM stayed in the top ten it's first two seasons and only dropped to 25 in it's third season. I will look up the places I read that, but I thought one of them was here.

Originally posted by Luckymama58
It was my understanding from all that I have read, that CATM stayed in the top ten it's first two seasons and only dropped to 25 in it's third season. I will look up the places I read that, but I thought one of them was here.


No, after the completion of the 1975-76 season CATM was ranked number 25 at 20.8 right below Good Times which was ranked 24.

Just a point of curiosity, since I am trying to research this further.... what site can you get the Neilsen ratings for old shows? I have looked and looked.....

According to a TV Book I own, it lists that

1974-1975
Chico and the Man #3

1975-1976
Chico and the Man #25

1976-1977
Chico and the Man #? (The list only goes up to the top 30, and CATM is not there. So it must have done worse than I thought. Also season four did worse that season three.)

Originally posted by Luckymama58
Just a point of curiosity, since I am trying to research this further.... what site can you get the Neilsen ratings for old shows? I have looked and looked.....


I can email you the site since i have it saved on my database

ok, my email link is on here at the top of my posts. Gracias

Originally posted by Luckymama58
ok, my email link is on here at the top of my posts. Gracias


Just sent it to you so let me know if you received it.

I would love to see a week by week breakdown for that season, but I guess that won't happen. I do know that I have read that the show was a hit both of its first two seasons. A book on TV's top ten which came out in 76 lists Chico and the Man. I guess maybe it started it second season strong and then fell due to the pressure of playing opposite M*A*S*H. I did notice that M*A*S*H was higher in the ratings, but not as high as it could have been either. I guess when there is stiff competition, both shows suffer ratings slumps. (BTW I think the second season was the strongest too, TV ADAM IMHO)

Originally posted by Luckymama58
I would love to see a week by week breakdown for that season, but I guess that won't happen. I do know that I have read that the show was a hit both of its first two seasons. A book on TV's top ten which came out in 76 lists Chico and the Man. I guess maybe it started it second season strong and then fell due to the pressure of playing opposite M*A*S*H. I did notice that M*A*S*H was higher in the ratings, but not as high as it could have been either. I guess when there is stiff competition, both shows suffer ratings slumps. (BTW I think the second season was the strongest too, TV ADAM IMHO)


I will be receiving episodes of CATM next month so i get to see the show finally.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea, and I am prejudiced because I was such a big Freddie Prinze fan (still am). Still I think the show does have a lot going for it and had a lot of potential that was cut short because Freddie never got the help he needed so desperately. A good object lesson for all of those in the business. Don't let it get to you and eat you up.

Originally posted by Luckymama58
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. I know it isn't everyone's cup of tea, and I am prejudiced because I was such a big Freddie Prinze fan (still am). Still I think the show does have a lot going for it and had a lot of potential that was cut short because Freddie never got the help he needed so desperately. A good object lesson for all of those in the business. Don't let it get to you and eat you up.


Do you know why CATM is not apart of any cable station's daily lineup? Like TBS, or TV LAND?

I will be anxiously waiting to hear your opinon once you have viewed more episodes because i am sure you will like it.

Like any show, stations have to pay syndication rights to air a show. Last I heard, TVLand lost their rights to some of the shows owned by Time Warner, including CATM. I don't know how true that info is, but that is the story we were given when they took it off the air. Apparently they have limited rights to air an occasional show, as part of a special thing, like their boxed sets, but not for regular airing. Again, it is all a bit confusing to me. I know that ratings are a part of whether a cable station will renew their syndication rights or not. I personally think CATM was never given much of a chance, since it was never allowed a decent time slot to air. I see that Sandford and Son seems to be doing very well in a relatively prime time slot on TVLand right now. If only CATM were given the same chance. They were airing at 5:30 am before they were taken off the air, before that, I can't remember but I think it was like 6:30 am and midnight. Maybe someone can refresh my memory on that one.
I was just on another site today and the question was asked whether or not CATM will ever be released to DVD. I would love to get a chance to see this show uncut. I have seen other shows sold on DVD that I don't believe were as successful. Maybe the mysterious death (I know, on the surface it looked clear cut, but delve deeper and you can see that there are a lot of unanswered questions) of one of its brightest stars has put a curse on it or something (not that I believe in such things, mind you) All I know is that if Columbia House or any other market puts CATM out on DVD, I will be first in line to get my copies!

And i'm right behind ya!!!

Happy BD & have a good one! :) & lots of Chico! :)

Although M*A*S*H probably hurt CATM to a degree, M*A*S*H ratings were hurt as well. This timeslot change also coincided w/ Mike Farrell and Harry Morgan joining the cast, and Farrell joked that year about how M*A*S*H was going to add a young mechanic to the 4077th to improve ratings. Also, M*A*S*H moved out of the Friday night timeslot after just two months to Tuesday night, and CATM moved to Wednesday night the next January, so the two shows only competed against each other for two months, and CATM's ratings fall may have had more to do w/ the move to Wed. night, where it no longer had Sanford and Son as a lead-in. For the record, Sanford and Son ended the 75-76 year in 7th place, down from 2nd place in 74-75, and M*A*S*H for the year fell from 5th place (74-75) to 14th place (75-76). I got all this ratings and timeslot information from Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh's Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows. I highly recommend the book for any rabid tv fan like myself. :)

Originally posted by jehobden
Although M*A*S*H probably hurt CATM to a degree, M*A*S*H ratings were hurt as well. This timeslot change also coincided w/ Mike Farrell and Harry Morgan joining the cast, and Farrell joked that year about how M*A*S*H was going to add a young mechanic to the 4077th to improve ratings. Also, M*A*S*H moved out of the Friday night timeslot after just two months to Tuesday night, and CATM moved to Wednesday night the next January, so the two shows only competed against each other for two months, and CATM's ratings fall may have had more to do w/ the move to Wed. night, where it no longer had Sanford and Son as a lead-in. For the record, Sanford and Son ended the 75-76 year in 7th place, down from 2nd place in 74-75, and M*A*S*H for the year fell from 5th place (74-75) to 14th place (75-76). I got all this ratings and timeslot information from Tim Brooks and Earle Marsh's Complete Directory to Prime Time Network and Cable TV Shows. I highly recommend the book for any rabid tv fan like myself. :)




I have that book but it only is from 1944-1979. I ordered the wrong book off ebay. So now i have to get this book all over again.

Originally posted by SOLOMON





I have that book but it only is from 1944-1979. I ordered the wrong book off ebay. So now i have to get this book all over again.

I have that one too. I also have the 1995 edition and 1999 edition. There is a new one coming out soon, so I can't wait to get it.

Originally posted by TVAdam


I have that one too. I also have the 1995 edition and 1999 edition. There is a new one coming out soon, so I can't wait to get it.


The 1995 book sounds a lot better than what I have.

Originally posted by SOLOMON



The 1995 book sounds a lot better than what I have.

It's good, however there were some mistakes in the show descriptions. They listed "NewsRadio" as airing from March 1995 to May 1995. The show lasted four seasons longer. Also for "Hey Dude", they described the character of Danny wrong. This book however has a list of every Spin-Off. The 1999 edition doesn't have that.

Originally posted by TVAdam


It's good, however there were some mistakes in the show descriptions. They listed "NewsRadio" as airing from March 1995 to May 1995. The show lasted four seasons longer. Also for "Hey Dude", they described the character of Danny wrong. This book however has a list of every Spin-Off. The 1999 edition doesn't have that.



The 1999 edition doesn't have all the spinoffs? I wonder why? I thought that the 1999 edition was the continuation of the 1979 and 1995 edition.